"ATHENE": Anatomy of a Dream
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INTRODUCTION
Our change of lifestyle with all its implications was to require a special record.
Jean's diaries, our photographs and my log all served to provide us with nostalgic aides memoire. As our circle of friends expanded we began to feel the need for a more complete and lasting record.
Visitors to the boat, chance aquaintances and the ever present gongoozlers along the canal, began to say the same thing.
"What you pair are doing is the kind of adventure that many people would love to try but for a variety of reasons will never attempt. Why don't you write a book and share your experiences with people who will only share them in print".
Flattered by the suggestion but not arrogant enough to believe myself capable of producing such a book of sufficient calibre to merit publication. I nevertheless decided to write "Athene": Anatomy of a Dream. as a lasting record for us and our children to share. People suggesting that we wrote about our experiences were henceforth informed that the opus had begun. Odd pages of manuscript were handed round for perusal, then the completed Prologue and eventually pages of the main text were appraised. To my everlasting surprise the general reaction was favourable.
Eventually I began to believe that sufficient numbers of people were interested in our story to make publication viable.
That you are reading this is proof that the project was completed.
Please read and enjoy.
This is a personal record to be shared and relished, it is not a canal history, and if I occasionally make sweeping statements or indulge my own whims and fancies, I crave your indulgence, just asking that you accept our personal happiness and where possible share it.
Somewhere in England
I was born, in a miner's terraced house, in a small Warwickshire mining village in 1937. A disastrous first marriage ended leaving me broke and depressed. My meeting with, and subsequent marriage to Jean, was a turning point in my life and saved my sanity.
Choosing to live on a narrowboat and to be continually cruising was, in the main, her idea. It was a move we have never regretted and continue to get extreme pleasure from.
I had been variously employed as a Motor engineer, a Draughtsman, a Social Worker with R.N.M.D.S.F; a Youth Worker and finally a Senior Youth and Community Education Officer.
I have two daughters from my first marriage and two step-sons from my wedding to Jean in 1990.
I took early retirement in 1991 and Athene was launched in the same year. I hope you enjoy sharing our life through the medium of print.
It will strike a cord in the minds of those folk who would like to kick over the traces, live an uncomplicated life and have been unable to pluck up the courage to make the move.
Here is life afloat, without a fixed base. Joys, heartaches, highs and lows are all here "warts an' all".
After designing and planning their boat, the intrepid pair embark on a DIY fit-out in spite of their lack of experience in this field.
Continual cruising is described in detail together with a range of activities open to pleasure boaters.
If you love boating or have a yen to try it, this is a volume not to be missed!
"Reading this book one dark, winter's day. I escaped to the pleasures of life afloat...."Waterways World.
"........one of the easiest and most enjoyable "waterway" books I have read for some time....."Canal and Riverboat
"I retired early, quick read of Tone's book, then a good night's sleep! Next time I looked at my watch, it was 3.30 a.m.! Trevor NB "Double Vision".
The author has now retired and the books are no longer available,
You may be able to obtain copies on line from:-
